|
BULL HN INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
|
"We look for people who are willing and able to stand up and take control of a project."
– Gordon Hampden, College Recruiting Manager
• XPS-100, DPS 4,6,8, 9000 •
• COBOL, IDS, GCOS, UNIX •
• Hardware vendor • Large shop •
|
|
| |
|
Bull HN Information Systems designs and manufactures a line of computers ranging from personal computers through very large transaction-processing mainframes. Products include 16-bit and 32-bit personal computers; the XPS-100 series based on UNIX; DPS 4 and DPS 6 midrange systems, and DPS 8 and 9000 mainframes.
In 1921, Fredrik Bull, an engineer working for a Norwegian insurance company, invented a revolutionary statistical tabulating device. His invention enabled the company to automate its data processing. Bull HN, formerly Honeywell, Inc., is owned by the French company, Groupe Bull. Honeywell Federal Information Systems (HFSI) is the U.S. distributor for Bull computers. Bull HN has 18,000 employees. Corporate headquarters is in Billirica, Massachusetts. The federal government is their largest single customer in the United States. Groupe Bull is privately-held. Their revenue in 1988 was more than $5 billion.
|
|
Technology
Hardware ranges from the PC family up to the DPS 9000, which runs under the GCOS 8 operating system and can handle more than 1,000 online transactions per second. The DPS 90 computer family includes single-, dual- and quad-processors. The DPS 7000 can serve as a central computer for medium-sized businesses or as a distributed system for large companies. Software used may include the open networking architecture that is the first to use all seven levels of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) system. The Office Network Exchange PLUS (ONE PLUS) integrates departmental users to the factory and the Manufacturing Systems application package links multiple manufacturing processes. Bull's own network-type, CODASYL-based database management system, IDS II, as well as the relational database management system, ORACLE, run on Bull computers. Programming is in COBOL and PL/I.
Job titles include: Associate Engineer (with a Bachelor's degree), Engineer (with a Master's degree), Senior Engineer, Principal Engineer, Consulting Engineer and Staff Engineer. There is a dual technical/management career path.
Recent projects have included the installation of Bull computers for the Shipboard Nontactical ADP Program (SNAP), the Navy's modernization program for its automated supply, maintenance, and administrative functions on shore or at sea, and the installation of DPS 6s for the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles for license registrations and renewals.
|
|
|
Culture
Travel may average about 10 percent of a Bull employee's time. Senior software professionals have been travelling to Europe recently. The work week averages more than forty hours a week, but can vary over this number. There are merit awards for achievements.
Bull HN observes 10 fixed holidays, plus 1 floating holiday. They offer 10 days of vacation the first year, 11 days after 3 years and 3 weeks after 7 years. The company pays for medical insurance for employees and shares the cost for dependents. The company pays for short-term disability, dental insurance, life insurance (one times the annual salary) and tuition reimbursement. There is a performance-sharing account, which may add 3-12% of an employee's salary based on employee and company performance. There is also a 401(k) plan in which the company matches $.025 on the dollar, up to 4 percent of an employee's salary.
|
|
|
Candidates
The skills required of candidates vary depending on the type of projects they will be working on. Experience with C, UNIX, and kernels is a plus. College is preferred, with grades in the top 10 percent of the class. Computer professionals at Bull HN have from 0 to 20 years of experience.
Bull does hire entry-level computer professionals. Candidates should have some summer or co-op work experience and good grades. A degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering is a plus, with programming, testing or design experience considered very valuable.
Bull hired 60 computer professionals in the last year for which figures are available.
|
|
|
Contact
Mr. Gordon Hampden, College Recruiting Manager
(508) 671-2112
Bull HN Information Systems, Inc.
300 Concord Road
Billerica, Massachusetts 01821
Copyright 1991. Vandamere Press. Covin’s New England Computer Job Guide
|
| |
|
|
|
|